


As Many Times As It Takes

by cloakoflevitation



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Avengers Family, Brother Feels, Brothers, CLINT AND TONY ARE IDIOTS, Domestic Avengers, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, Loki (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Post-Avengers (2012), Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, by the end of it anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 19:32:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16604162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloakoflevitation/pseuds/cloakoflevitation
Summary: Set after the invasion of New York. The Avengers know Thanos sent Loki, so Loki and the Avengers are more frenemies now than enemies. In trying to catch a villain, the Avengers fake Thor's death. Loki hears about it and pays them a visit.





	As Many Times As It Takes

Throwing caution to the wind, Loki teleported directly into the tower, standing just in front of a familiar set of windows. Shock and outrage flooded the faces of the Avengers, but he quickly banished the projectiles sent in his direction to a pocket dimension. The two spies made as if to move towards him, but he held up both his hands, letting them glow bright with rage fueled magic.

“Do not test me.” He struggled to keep his voice calm and even. “Where is my brother?”

Romanoff tilted her head, eyeing him in a way that made him feel dissected. Normally he would be more careful, more cautious with masking his emotions, but at the moment he couldn’t be bothered. It took all his energy just to keep himself together.

Barton barked an unpleasant laugh. “Haven’t you heard?” He sneered, but Rogers interrupted him. “Thor is dead.”

Loki clenched his jaw and looked away. “Yes I –” He cleared his throat. “I have heard,” he said bitterly, glancing once in Barton’s direction. He did not blame the man for his distrust of him, but Loki had no time at present to deal with old grudges. He looked to Stark, who had a hand on one of Banner’s shoulders. “Where is his body?”

Banner smiled tightly at Stark and shrugged off his hand. “We buried him. Two days ago.”

Loki looked away once more, blinking hard this time.

“Oh, will you knock it off!” Barton scoffed, forcing everyone’s attention to him. Romanoff shook her head, but Barton continued, pointing a finger accusingly at Loki, “You tried to kill him yourself! On multiple occasions! Don’t act as if you care now.”

“Thor is my brother!” Loki snapped back, before realizing his mistake. “Thor _was_ my brother, and now…” He made himself take a deep breath and fold his hands behind his back. “On Asgard, we have sendoffs, we burn pyres of the fallen, and the Allfather sends them to Valhalla. So I ask again, where is Thor?”

The Avengers exchanged uneasy glances. Stark spoke up again, “We won’t let you take his body. If Asgard wants him for a sendoff, they can come collect him themselves.”

A million thoughts and questions raced through Loki’s head. _Did Asgard know of his death? Did Odin? Did Frigga? Who would tell them? Why would they not release Thor’s body to him? Why could he not take his brother home? Would he be welcome at Thor’s sendoff? How could Thor be **dead** – _Loki closed his eyes for a moment, screaming inside his mind. He would not breakdown, not here, not in front of the Avengers. So he stood up slightly straighter and lifted his chin. “I understand.”

Barton’s hands flashed quickly, most likely a sign of some kind, but as Loki continued to watch, it was translated by his Allspeak, “–arrive, 3 minutes.” Apparently, it was not merely a sign, but a whole language. Normally such a thing would be intriguing, but Loki barely registered the fact. Everything felt dull, empty, cold. 

“Don’t worry yourselves,” he gave a hollow smile. “I will be gone before anyone arrives.” He paused, so they might understand the importance, the levity of what he had left to say. “I only ask for one thing. Give me the name of who has –” his mouth twisted unpleasantly, “– who has _killed_ Thor.”

Romanoff, Barton, Rogers, Stark, and Banner all started to speak at once.

“–leave it to SHIELD–”

“–probably congratulate them–”

“–actively looking into–”

“–can’t have you killing anyone–”

“–maybe we should just tell him–”

“Enough!” Loki waved a hand, silencing all of them. “Either tell me, or I will discover the murderer myself.” He looked between each of them, forcing them to feel the intensity of his gaze. “But know this: should you refuse me, I will go to your organization, your SHIELD, and ask. If they will not give me the name, I will _make_ them in the most unpleasant of ways. I will burn cities to the ground,” he shook his head, correcting himself, “I would destroy this entire _realm_ , to find this murderer. There will be no place they can hide that I cannot find. There will be none who can stop me, none who can prevent the pain I will bring to them and any who aid such a monster, because _I am a god_! I will not allow Thor’s death to go unavenged.”

Tension crackled in the air as errant magic escaped him. He nearly shook with cold fury. “I ask a final time. Who has killed my brother?”

There was silence, as he watched them expectantly.

“Loki.”

Surprise, cold and breath-taking, bloomed in Loki’s chest, quickly spreading to the rest of his limbs. When he glanced up, he couldn’t help the sharp breath he sucked in. It felt like a dream as he quickly pushed past the Avengers, their cries of shock and upset falling on deaf ears. He stopped almost close enough to touch, a terribly hopeful expression on his face. “ _Thor_?”

Thor was real. Thor was there. All at once reality came rushing back. He could hear Barton behind him, shouting something about their plan, how they needed people to believe he was really dead. Banner and Stark came into his field of vision on the right, Banner asking Thor if he was sure this was the right thing to do.

Thor nodded in response to Banner’s question, but his eyes never left Loki.

Something twisted in Loki’s chest. He felt more vulnerable than he had in a long time, and he was not fond of the feeling. “I thought you dead.” The words came out a hoarse whisper. 

Thor smiled, knowing. “Did you mourn?” His tone was far too curious, far too carefree to be speaking of such a topic. Almost as if he were _teasing_ him.

Loki flinched backwards, his eyes wide. “Thor, I –” He closed his eyes, forcing all his emotions deep down inside him. He stepped back from Thor, fixing him with a cold stare before glancing at each of the others. “This,” he hissed, “was a mistake. Perhaps now I will raze your organization, your realm, simply for my own enjoyment.” Thor looked at him, confused and angry, but Loki ignored his tricks. “Prepare yourself, _brother mine_ , but know you have brought this war upon yourself.” He teleported himself away before any of the others had a chance to respond.

**

“Mr. Odinson, this may be of importance.”

Thor was relieved to hear JARVIS, to be given something even slightly intriguing to consider. It was going on his fourth day, cooped up in something Tony had called a “panic room”. He understood the need to keep himself hidden, so the rest of the world would believe he had truly died. But it didn’t mean he had to like it. There was only so much television he could watch, only so many hours he could spend reading and playing games with JARVIS. He needed out, needed to stretch his legs. In the panic room, it was starting to feel as though the walls were closing in.

So he eagerly turned towards the screen JARVIS had lit up and was not disappointed. To his surprise, he watched _Loki_ speak to the other Avengers.

“JARVIS? Can I hear what they are saying?”

JARVIS turned on the audio in answer.

“Thor’s dead.”

The expression on Loki’s face at Steve’s words tugged at Thor’s heart.

“Yes I – I have heard,” Loki answered. “Where is his body?”

Bruce stepped forwards. “We buried him. Two days ago.”

Clint suddenly burst out, “Oh, will you knock it off! You tried to kill him yourself! On multiple occasions! Don’t act as if you care now.”

Thor winced. He doubted Loki would take that accusation well.

“Thor is my brother!” Loki instantly retorted, before shaking his head slightly. “Thor _was_ my brother, and now…” Thor watched him fold his hands behind his back and recognized the gesture. Loki often made it when he had revealed too much and was trying to reign in his emotions. When he continued again, his voice was softer. Had it been anyone else, Thor would have called it wistful. “On Asgard, we have sendoffs, we burn pyres of the fallen, and the Allfather sends them to Valhalla.” Loki sighed. “So I ask again, where is Thor?”

For a moment, Thor was worried. He hadn’t thought of this. He hadn’t thought so far as Loki or anyone from Asgard coming for his body. The Avengers couldn’t allow anyone to dig up his coffin, because it was empty. They couldn’t release his body to anyone, because he was very much still alive. There was no body to release. But they would need some way of dissuading Loki without raising his suspicions, if they wanted to keep their ruse intact.

Luckily, Tony was quick to say, “We won’t let you take his body. If Asgard wants him for a sendoff, they can come collect him themselves.” That would buy them some time at least.

Loki seemed to square his shoulders, as if to brace himself. “I understand.” There was silence as some of the others moved minutely, but too small for Thor to make out their actions on the screen. Then, Loki said, “Don’t worry yourselves. I will be gone before anyone arrives.”

Thor grew uneasy, unsure of who would be arriving. He had not heard the Avengers mention anyone else coming but, being in the panic room for the past few days, he wouldn’t know. He had the sinking suspicion it was SHIELD coming for Loki, but with Loki upset as he was, that would only end badly.

When Loki continued, “I only ask for one thing. Give me the name of who has – who has killed Thor,” he began to panic. He was touched that Loki cared so deeply, but he also knew Loki’s stubbornness, his determination. Even if the Avengers gave him no name, he would find someone to blame and would obliterate any who stood in his way.

“JARVIS, take me up there, now.”

JARVIS instantly slid the door open, the elevator doors down the hallway also sliding open with a soft chime.

Nervous and impatient, he anxiously fidgeted in the elevator, hoping Loki wouldn’t threaten the others too much before he arrived. As long as he could speak with Loki, show he was alive, explain what they were doing, he was sure the situation could be resolved, and they could still maintain the ruse. Loki would be pacified, and they could still catch Amora.

When the elevator doors opened, Thor heard Loki’s voice echo down the hallway with a frightening intensity, “I ask a final time. Who has killed my brother?”

Thor quickly made his way down the hall through the doorway. “Loki,” he called, catching his attention.

In a rare moment, Loki looked completely and utterly caught off guard. It almost made Thor want to laugh, but then, in a disbelieving and almost reverent voice, Loki softly asked, “Thor?”

Thor fought the urge to close the remaining distance between them and hug him. Hearing Loki, seeing him look at him with such fondness, such awe, reminded him of when they were children. A growing feeling of nostalgia filled him, and for a moment, he felt equally like a child once more and painfully aware of the millennia he had lived.

He was vaguely aware of Bruce asking him something. “Are you sure about this?”

Thor nodded.

“I thought you dead.” The words were barely a whisper from Loki’s lips.

The care in his words completely melted Thor’s insides. He couldn’t stop the soft smile that spread across his face. _Oh Loki._ “Did you mourn?”

His words had been gentle, but Loki stepped back as if he had been struck. He blinked and stammered, “Thor, I–” But then something hardened in his features, his hands clenching at his sides. When he spoke again, his voice was cold and angry. “This was a mistake. Perhaps now I will raze your organization, your realm, simply for my own enjoyment. 

Thor’s eyebrows pulled together in confusion. He started to ask what Loki meant, what had happened, what he had done, but Loki interrupted him.

“Prepare yourself, _brother mine_ ,” he spat the sarcastic endearment, “But know you have brought this war upon yourself.”

And then Loki was gone.

Clint mumbled curses under his breath. Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, and Tony sighed heavily. “Okay so this is bad.”

Thor groaned, upset that things had somehow spiraled so quickly, and he wasn’t even sure what had happened.

Steve gave a helpless smile. “At least he knows you’re alive now?”

Thor merely shook his head. “I am sure Loki will soon rectify that.”

**

It was to a hideaway on Alfheim that Loki fled. He let all his anger and pain control his magic, sending out waves that shook the furniture around him and sent smaller objects smashing into the walls. The windows shattered into sharp fragments that made a delightful noise when they fell to the ground. A dark part of him took great pleasure in it.

Thor was his brother, his only brother, even if not by blood. Thor had stood by him, foolishly and stubbornly, but a constant in his life. Unwavering. Even when Loki had wanted to cut ties with him, had attempted to do so, Thor had not allowed it. And yet now, now Thor would play such an insidiously cruel trick on him; it was almost unfathomable. And he had not seen it coming! The whole situation burned him. 

He lit the sofa on fire, just to watch something else be destroyed, to match how he felt. He had gone to the Avengers, mere mortals, but Thor’s mortals nonetheless, and had all but declared his undying love for Thor, his willingness to hunt down his murderer. And Thor – oh the brute! – he must have stood laughing just out of sight, entertained by Loki embarrassing himself the way he had. Thor wasn’t truly dead, and the mortals had known it as well! They had let him parade about, announcing his revenge! He had made an utter fool of himself.

Loki scowled at the flames, before waving a hand and extinguishing them. Burning down the whole house in his anger might make him feel better, but he needed somewhere to stay, somewhere to think for the time being.

He had all but offered his heart on a platter, and Thor and not only stabbed it, but done so with a smile. It hurt far more than he wanted to admit to anyone, least of all himself.

_Loki. Did you mourn?_

He would show Thor the meaning of the word. When he was finished with the mortals, with Midgard, there would be nothing left. Thor would spend the rest of his life mourning all Loki would take from him.

With a heavy sigh, he snapped his fingers, righting the furniture, restoring the sofa and windows, and repairing all the objects he had broken. There was revenge to plan.

**

He was surrounded by blood and blades and rope, by pain, by incessant screams. The Other stood before him, a sinister grin stretched across his face. Loki begged, pleaded, but his cries fell on deaf ears. A scream from over his shoulder drew his attention – _Nebula!_ – but she was dragged away. When he looked back, the face of the Other had transformed into Agent Barton, his empty eyes staring back at Loki. “You did this to me,” the man whispered. “You made me into this monster!”

Loki stumbled backward. “No, I – please! I was unmade! I didn’t–”

A haunting voice echoed around them, momentarily drowning out the screams. “Please, don’t make this worse.” And he knew those words, knew that voice.

“Mother?”

But Barton was speaking again, this time in Odin’s voice. “Wherever you go, ruin and death follow. You should have stayed in the abyss!”

He gasped, “Father? Father!”

“Your birthright was to die, Loki, and you have nearly died so many times. Why can it not seem to take?”

The screams grew louder and suddenly Loki was falling, falling, always falling. 

“Give up this dream. Come home.” Thor was holding his shoulders, shaking him slightly. “Loki? Are you listening?”

He nodded quickly, and Thor pulled him close, hugging him hard enough Loki felt as though perhaps all his broken pieces might be made to fit together again. For a fleeting moment, he felt safe and warm. Then Thor pulled back, a worried expression on his face. “I thought you dead.”

Something felt wrong about the words. There was something he should remember. He wanted to ask, but instead he heard himself laugh. His voice came out cold and bitter and _wrong_. “Did you mourn?”

 _Did you mourn?_ _Did you mourn? Did you –_

Loki sat up in bed, panting. A dream. A nightmare. It hadn’t been real. He pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes, unable to catch his breath. It had felt real enough. Shivering, he pulled a cloak from off the back of a chair and wrapped it tightly around his shoulders. He padded softly through the house, he footsteps sounding loud in the still and silence of the night. He slid open one of the doors, letting the ever-cool air on Alfheim touch his skin. The night was calm; the sky was clear and swirled with galaxies and stars. It was beautiful. The artificially perfect weather reminded him of Asgard.

But Asgard was always warmer. And he was not welcome there anymore.

He turned back inside, unable to stand the reminder of where he was and of where he wasn’t. Of why.

He settled himself on the sofa. Those words, Thor’s words, _did you mourn_ , they had been his first. How had he forgotten? Casting his mind back, he tried to remember when Thor had found him on Midgard, after he had fallen from the Bifrost.

_I thought you dead._

_Did you mourn?_

_We all did. Our father–_

_Your father._

Perhaps he had been too rash earlier. Perhaps the confusion he had seen in Thor had been real. Thor may have merely been quoting their earlier conversation, not mocking him. Maybe Thor was not playing with his emotions. 

He sighed, uncertain. He hoped Thor would not be so cruel.

Pulling his cloak over him, he laid across the sofa, resigned to return to sleep and deal with Thor and the truth tomorrow.

**

Loki found a port near enough to the Avengers tower. In an attempt to draw Thor out along with the others he created sea monsters to glide just under the surface of the water, popping up long enough to catch the attention of the mortals on the nearby ships. It was highly amusing. No matter how much the mortals progressed, fear of deep-sea monsters was too firmly rooted in their subconscious fears not to frighten them tremendously. Never mind that the creatures he had created were just illusions. He himself stood on the deck of one of the ships, having scared off the men below deck somewhere.

He heard the approaching aircraft, but Stark in his metal suit reached Loki first. He kept an eye to the skies as he blocked the beams of energy shot at him.

“Where is Thor, Stark? I have no patience to wait today.”

“Thor’s dead, Bambi, you know that." 

Loki narrowed his eyes. “I will not be made a fool of–”

“There’s more going on here,” Stark interrupted quickly, pausing in his assault to simply hover in the air just off the side of the ship. He punctuated his words with heavy pauses, encouraging Loki to read between the lines. “Thor is dead. He won’t be coming to fight you.” 

“I see.” Loki let the illusions disappear and then promptly teleported himself into the tower. That was were Thor most likely was, if he was still pretending to be dead.

As he began to stride across the room, the same room he had been in the last time he was in the tower, a voice from seemingly nowhere called, “Mr. Odinson would like to speak with you.”

Loki stilled. “And where is he?” 

“He will be arriving momentarily.”

At least now he didn’t have to search for Thor. He heard a chime and then Thor appeared from down a hallway.

“Let me explain,” Thor rushed the words out, as if he were afraid he wouldn’t get the chance. “Amora and Skurge have been pursuing me. We hoped by staging my death, we could prevent further attacks and find a way to capture them in the meantime.”

“How long do you expect to stay dead?” Loki scoffed. “What will you do when it is not me, but the Warriors Three who come demanding answers? Or worse, Odin?”

“I don’t–”

“I have never known you to sit idly by, letting others fight your battles,” Loki pressed.

“I had no choice!” Thor snapped, exasperated. “The damage Amora was causing was too much. She posed too great a threat to the mortals.”

Loki threw up his hands. “Then eliminate the threat! Don’t hide, fight!”

Thor groaned. “Surely you know I would if I could. The mortals are fragile, Loki. They are no match for Amora or Skurge, and I cannot fight them both.”

All the pieces finally clicked in place. So that was why Thor was hiding. The Avengers wanted to put a stop to the public attacks Amora was making, but they weren’t strong enough to capture her and Skurge. They had no options. Hence, kill Thor.

Loki hummed thoughtfully, secretly relieved. So it seemed Thor was not out to hurt him, not this time. All the tension in his body slowly eased. “It was a creative solution,” he consented, “Even if only temporary.” The edges of his mouth turned up in a mischievous grin. “And tell me, Thor, how did you ‘die’?”

“Fire demon.” At Loki’s raised eyebrows, he elaborated, “One found its way here from Muspelheim. When it hit me, I simply laid still.”

Loki laughed. “Have you finally learned to take a beating?”

Thor grimaced good-naturedly. “It was… unpleasant but sufficient. It appeared I was dead to any watching.”

“And now you hide here.”

Thor sighed, not rising to the challenge in Loki’s tone. “For now, yes. Until we find a way to stop Amora.”

There was an awkward silence. Neither brother seemed to know what to do.

“Well. Your pets will be along shortly.”

“Loki…” Thor growled a warning. “They are my friends.”

Ignoring Thor’s correction, he said, “Until next time.” But a word from Thor stopped him from teleporting.

“Wait…”

Loki raised his eyebrows.

“I should have told you. That I was alive.”

He crossed his arms.

Thor frowned. “I didn’t think you would,” he hesitated for a moment, before finishing slowly, “ _hear_. That I had died.”

That wasn’t what he had wanted to say. Loki heard the pause and knew what Thor had meant. _I didn’t think you would **care**._ He pressed his lips together, tightening his arms where they were crossed. His response was quiet and grim. “Of course I would _hear_.” He teleported from the tower, but not so fast that he didn’t catch the regret that crossed Thor’s face.

**

At the end of the week, he teleported back into the tower once more. Rogers and Stark were seated on the sofa, engaged in a heated discussion that stopped abruptly once they noticed him.

Rogers jumped up from the sofa, his fists held up in front of him, as if to fight.

Loki tried and failed not to laugh. “I am here for Thor, Captain.”

“J, send him up.” Stark was still reclined on the sofa, but Loki saw the tension in his shoulders. Still, it was a good façade of indifference. “Steve, let him be.”

Rogers shared a look with Stark, but dropped his hands, settling on the arm of the sofa.

Loki didn’t overlook the posture; Rogers could easily still attack should he choose to. He tilted his head, turning his attention back to Stark. “You are curious."

“I’m going to take that as a compliment, in the spirit of not starting fights and destroying the tower. Again.”

Loki laughed. “Perhaps my second favorite Avenger…” he admitted, just to see his reaction, and was delighted when Stark’s eyebrows shot up.

“Wait  _second_ fav _–_ is this counting Thor? Because I don’t think that’s fair. Who’s the first?”

“Tony please,” Rogers groaned, looking up towards the ceiling. “How is being Loki’s favorite in any way a good thing?”

“You’re just jealous.”

“I swear –”

“But Cap! Language!”

“– on anything you hold dear–  _will you ever let that go_?!”

“Never! You just make it too easy –”

“I say something _once_ –”

“It was _twice_! Me and Clint. You got him too.”

“Back in the forties –”

“Aunt Peggy said you swore like a sailor!”

“Lies! I would never –”

“You called her a liar! I’m telling!”

Rogers suddenly grew still, eyes wide. “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, I would.”

“Brother?”

Loki looked away from the two bickering fools, pleased Thor had finally arrived. “A word.”

Thor came to stand just opposite him, casting a curious glance at his fellow Avengers.

“Don’t look at us, Point Break.” Stark shrugged. “He showed up and said he wanted to speak to you.”

“Indeed. I have a proposition.”

“Always tell them no when they say that!” Rogers elbowed Stark at his comment, causing him to yelp. “Geez, watch the ribs. I’ve got a heart condition, you know."

Loki rolled his eyes, leading Thor closer towards the windows, away from them. “Are you still searching for Amora?”

Thor narrowed his eyes, looking for something in Loki’s face. He answered cautiously, “Yes.”

“I know where she is.”

“That may be, but we still haven’t come up with a way to capture her without getting one of us killed.”

“Because the Avengers are no match for two Asgardians.”

“She is a powerful mage, Loki. And Skurge is not someone to scoff at either,” Thor protested half-heartedly.

“But perhaps if you had another… immortal, by your side…”

Thor shook his head. “I have asked Odin, but until she kills someone, he will not risk any of the Asgardians.”

Loki gave him a meaningful look, disappointed it was taking Thor so long to grasp what he was offering. He held out a hand as if to shake, palm up. “Do you trust me?"

“Now wait a minute.” Rogers frowned, standing up and taking a step towards them, but Thor was watching Loki with a calculating expression.

“You would help me?”

Stark was on his feet now too. “Buddy, pal, friend, let’s not do anything rash here …”

“Thor,” Loki repeated with a grin, “Do you. Trust me.”

Thor touched the handle of Mjolnir at his side. “No,” he replied simply, firmly, but he smiled, shaking his head slightly. He clasped Loki’s outstretched arm, much to the dismay of his friends, and Loki teleported them from the tower.

**

“I swear it’s like I’m talking to a wall sometimes.” Tony let out a long sigh. “J, any idea where they went?”

“And what data would you like me to draw my calculations upon, Sir?” JARVIS snarked back.

“Touché. I just had to check.” He walked over to the bar, pulling out two glasses.

Steve shifted his weight nervously, a hilarious sight on someone so big. “We should – should we – what should we do?”

“We wait,” Tony answered, walking back to Steve and handing him one of the drinks in his hand. “Nothing else we can do. They could be anywhere.”

“I don’t like it.” He sighed, his shoulders dropping. “But I guess it’s our only option.” Steve eyed the amber colored liquid in the glass, frowning. “I thought you quit drinking.”

Tony shrugged, taking a sip of his. “J, call everyone up here, will you? Just in case they come back half dead or somehow manage to actually catch Amora and Skurge.”

Steve nodded. “That’s good. Better we’re all together for whatever happens.” He swirled the liquid in his glass, before bracing himself and taking a drink. He coughed, nearly choking on it. “It’s apple juice!” He spluttered.

Cradling his own glass in his hands, Tony bent over, nearly touching the sofa cushions with his nose, gasping between bouts of laughter. When he finally managed to calm down, he quipped with a wink, “I quit, remember? Drink up, Cap. It’s good for you.”

**

An hour or so later, Loki and Thor blinked back into existence in the tower. The other Avengers dropped their conversations to crowd closer around them.

They were all speaking at once, but Stark cut them off. “HEY! Did you get them?”

Loki and Thor exchanged a glance and then wide grins. “Amora and Skurge are in the custody of Heimdall now. He will convince the Allfather to lock them in Asgard’s dungeons.”

“Damn,” Barton and Stark swore at the same time, the word sounding strange from both their mouths at once, before they erupted into giggles. Romanoff rolled her eyes, sliding something to Banner.

“What’s this?” Thor asked, glancing between the others.

“We had a pool going.” Pulling out his wallet, Rogers shook his head with a sigh and passed a bill to Banner as well. “I bet that you wouldn’t catch them. Stark bet you both disappeared for a few months. Clint bet Loki betrayed you. Nat bet you betrayed him. And Bruce bet you both caught Amora and Skurge.”

Thor sent Banner a fond grin, which he returned, before snapping his fingers. “Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum,” he called in the direction of Stark and Barton. “Pay up.”

Both grumbled under their breaths about it but handed over the money.

Thor clapped a heavy hand on Loki’s shoulder. “We did well today.”

Loki hummed, pleased. “We did,” he agreed.

Smiling brightly, Stark exclaimed, “You know what this means. Shawarma! J?”

“The order should arrive in the lobby at any moment.”

“You’re a dear,” Stark praised the voice, which Thor had informed him was some kind of artificial intelligence. Stark ushered the others towards a hallway, calling over his shoulder, “Loki? Coming?”

“I beg your pardon?”

The shock must have been written clearly across his face, because Stark chuckled. “I said, are you coming. Shawarma. Food. Celebrating.” He gestured wildly with his hands, nearly hitting Barton, who gave him a glare. Stark flicked his ear, and suddenly Barton had him in a choke hold.

“Uncle!” Stark cried, before Romanoff grabbed both of them, knocking their heads together. They stared at her, dumbfounded, and she broke into a wide grin and ran further down the hallway, out of sight. Barton and Stark shared an outraged look before crying murder and chasing after her.

Thor laughed and motioned to Rogers and Banner for them to go on. Their voices echoed in the hallway before fading out completely. He turned to Loki, hopeful. “You should join us.”

Loki opened his mouth, still surprised. “No, I think… I’ve stayed long enough.”

Thor nodded, his face falling. “Of course. I understand.”

It made Loki quickly qualify his rejection, “But perhaps… another time?” His mouth pulled to the side, a reaction he couldn’t stop, and he fought the urge to look away, suddenly unsure why he had asked.

“You are always welcome by my side.” The breath seemed to evaporate from his lungs. Silence hung in the air, as Loki struggled to find the words for what he wanted to say. “I suppose I should join my friends downstairs.”

And, because all sense seemed to have left him, Loki grabbed Thor’s arm as he started to turn away, desperately asking, “Wait, Thor I–”

Thor stilled, turning back towards him. He looked so unassuming, so relaxed. It felt so _normal_.

“I did. Mourn you. I did mourn you,” Loki pleaded with him, suddenly unable to stop the words, begging Thor to understand. “When I thought you were dead I –” He laughed miserably and helplessly. “I was lost. I was _wretched_. I mourned deeply. For you to think I did not mourn–”

“Loki…” Thor reached out for him, but he flinched away.

“No, let me finish! You are… my brother. You’re my only brother. I seldom like you, in fact I often hate you," he offered Thor a half–hearted grin at that, "But I would take on Death herself to save you. I will always fight you on all manner of things, but you must know I care. To experience your death…” He took in a shaky breath, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I’m sorry that I fell. I’m sorry I let go. On the Bifrost. I was hurt and lost and–”

Thor reached for him again, and this time Loki allowed it. Thor pulled him close, hugging him tight. Belatedly, Loki realized there was a wetness against Thor’s shoulder – no, against his cheeks. He wasn’t sure when he had started crying.

Thor sniffled horribly, and suddenly Loki was laughing. At least Thor was crying as well.

“Is that sentiment, Thor?” Loki aimed for a joke, but it came out in far too unsteady a voice to achieve humor.

Thor gave a wet laugh anyway, his arms tightening around him as Loki finally pulled himself together and returned the embrace. “I know you mourned,” Thor said softly, in a broken voice.

Loki started to pull away, but Thor resisted. Loki grumbled under his breath but pressed a pleased smile into Thor’s shoulder. He had missed Thor, had missed fighting side by side. To be wanted, to be loved, to be family again was like a balm. A wonderful feeling spread slowly across his chest, filling in all his broken pieces and cracks.

After a few moments, the AI called, “Sir would like me to inform you both the food is getting cold.” 

Thor let Loki go, giving him once last hopeful look. “We have been at odds some time, Loki. Will you not eat with me?”

Rolling his eyes, Loki held out his hand, a mirror of his earlier gesture when they had left to capture Amora. “I do not trust your pets. Eat with me instead.”

“My friends,” Thor corrected him with an unimpressed look, as he took Loki’s offered forearm. The world around them dissolved into light, and then solidified into Alfheim, inside Loki’s hideaway. “You would like them. Some of them, at least.”

“I’m sure,” Loki scoffed. But, because he was in a good mood, he admitted, “Banner is my favorite, of them all.” He swore he saw Thor blush.

“Mine as well. But I think you would like Stark.”

“Oh?” He pointedly overlooked the bright, pleased smile Thor was struggling to keep off his face. “Perhaps another time.”

“Yes. Another time.” He started to look through Loki’s cabinets, and Loki cast an illusion of a snake inside one. When Thor shrieked loud enough for the Warriors Three to hear even on Asgard, Loki nearly fell over laughing. He thought it was worth it, even after Thor tackled him, leaving him on the floor with Mjolnir on his chest the whole time he prepared their food.


End file.
